1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable visual display devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable visual display device that utilizes a removable cassette to display a banner, advertising material or other visual display media.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable visual display devices have a variety of applications. For example, they can be used to display advertising material. Such devices are commonly used by exhibitors to display marketing materials in trade shows and exhibitions.
There are many different types of visual display devices available. These devices include simple stands that are utilized to hold rigid-type displays, as well as devices that are used to display flexible media.
There often exists a need to provide a temporary or portable device for displaying a photomural or other information carrying banner or sign that is readily deployed to support and display a relatively large sign and yet is lightweight and easily carried for transport and storage. Such a device would find advantageous use in retail sales displays, trade shows, fairs or the like to provide a variety of information to those in view of it. Certain types of signs have been devised that are portable and some are also collapsible. One such device is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,601 to Dicke et al in which a sign panel is secured to a frame having four arms pivotally attached to a rigid central web. The four arms extend to form a cross bracing structure to hold the sign and are designed to fold down in one direction when collapsed.
Other folding signs are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,302 to Noffsinger and U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,020 to Brown. Noffsinger discloses a portable, collapsible display sign in which hinged leg supports adjust legs from a collapsed position to a fully extended spread or open position by a slidable frame member. The sign is in the form of a stretchable elastic fabric secured to the frame and each respective leg support such that tension in the fabric maintains the display in the open position in a two-sided system.
In Brown, pairs of pivotal legs are attached to a common cross member and are adapted to swing between fully folded and fully deployed positions.
Still another collapsible display system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,688 to LaMotte. That device incorporates a pair of spaced hollow mounting tubes, which carry opposite edge loops of the banner threaded over the tubes. In such an assembled system, the banner is carried on and between the spaced apart mounting rods. The banner is held in tension by a pair of hollow strut members crossed to form an X-bracing arrangement.
While these and other existing devices have certain attributes and provide a degree of flexibility and portability in successful display signs, there remains a need for a lightweight, durable, portable system that readily deploys from a storage state to a display mode readily. There also exists a need for such a system in which many different banners or murals can be interchangeably displayed using the same device without the need to disassemble the device for banner loading purposes. In addition, there exists the need for such a device, in which the displayed banner or mural can easily be retracted, removed from the display, and replaced with another banner or mural.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, durable, readily deployed display support system for a banner, photomural display panel or other visual display media.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a lightweight, durable, readily deployed display support system for a banner, photomural display panel or other visual display media in which the banner, photomural display panel or other visual display media can readily and easily be exchanged relative to the support structure.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for the easy and convenient exchange of banners, photomural display panels or other visual display media relative to the support structure through the use of a removable cassette that can be readily loaded into and removed from the support structure.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by inserting and securing into a holding member a removable cassette that has been pre-loaded with a banner, photomural display panel or other visual display media, and then extending the banner, photomural display panel or other visual display media from the holding member. The cassette can receive a display media and is adapted to be inserted into and removed from the holding member. It is designed to permit movement of the display media from a closed position to an open, visual position. There is also a mechanism for removably positioning the cassette into the holding member and a second mechanism for maintaining the display media in the open position. dr
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the visual display device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the visual display device of FIG. 1, with a pole connected to the device and banner shown in phantom.
FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the visual display device of FIG. 1, with a pole connected to the device and banner shown in phantom.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an end portion of the visual display device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the visual display device of FIG. 1, with a side element attached and with a cassette inserted.
FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is an interior view of a side covering for the visual display device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a cassette for the visual display device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a cassette for the visual display device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 10 is a side view of a cassette for the visual display device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of a first end cap for the cassette of FIG. 8.
FIG. 12 is a plan view of a second end cap.
FIG. 13 is a plan view opposite that of FIG. 12 of the second end cap for the cassette of FIG. 8.
FIG. 14 is an edge view of the first and second end caps.
FIG. 15 is a front view of the visual display device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the visual display device of FIG. 1, with a cassette inserted.
FIG. 17 is a bottom view of the visual display device of FIG. 1, with no cassette inserted.